A Swansea man has been charged with driving under the influence and causing a head-on collision while heading the wrong way on a Route 118, near Swansea Mall. The incident, which occurred Thursday night, left a 20-year-old man hospitalized with severe injuries after his vehicle caught on fire.
53-year-old Timothy Couturier is now facing charges including operating under the influence of liquor causing serious bodily injury and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, WHDH reported. Law enforcement detailed that Couturier was also charged with operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license and driving down a state highway in the wrong direction. Police believe he was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes, striking the other vehicle head-on.
Swansea Police Chief Marc Haslam told WPRI, "The driver of the other vehicle involved remains hospitalized." Firefighters had to extract the younger man from the flaming wreckage of his car, while Couturier himself also became trapped and required rescue from his vehicle.
Both individuals were rushed to Rhode Island Hospital for treatment following the harrowing incident. Couturier was arraigned from his hospital bed and is slated to be extradited back to Massachusetts to stand trial for the charges laid against him. His arraignment as a fugitive from justice underscores the severity of his alleged actions. The 20-year-old victim sustained serious injuries, and as of yet, there has been no update on his condition.
